Storing Session Variables Generated Dynamically

i have many pool (quiz) modules on my site with the information taken from a database. The modules are processed by the same function with different parameters and i need to save the pool's status to prevent a user vote several times. I do this setting $_SESSION[ 'variable' ] to 1 , variable being the name of the quiz, which is taken from the database. So i get to having a code like this:
....................
$name= $row->quiz_name;
$_SESSION[$name]=1

The problem is that if i call $_SESSION[$name] from another part of the site (another page) the variable is always zero and if i check the $name by writting

echo '$_SESSION['. $name .']= '.$_SESSION[$name] I get as output  $_SESSION[]=0

If i store the value in a variable like this $_SESSION['quiz_1']=1 then it shows as this everywhere.
One problem could be that that the $name, actually defined in a function, isn't global and thus it exists only in the function but even if i declare it global $name in the function it still doesn't show up on another page.

But in the function the variable $name is generated every time the function is called and it's the same for one quiz but it's value isn't stored even among two calls of the function. If i vote for one option then the variable is set to 1 then i refresh the page and it votes again.
Can u give me some advice as this is the first time i'm using this in php...

humm, abit confusing but i get the idea that the session variable name isnt stored properly.

 

The first thing i notice is that you have "$_SESSION['$name]" personally i have never used a variable inside an array like that so you might want to try it without the dollar sign so its not a variable within an array. That might help.

 

I think what you are trying to do with the cade is you have a variable called $name which contains a users name and you want this into a session variable?

 

if so just have code like:

$_SESSION['name'] = $name;

but either way try dropping the dollar sign and putting "name" into single ' ' quotes that might help.

 

Its what i would try first.

i solved the problem the variable creation was put in an IF statement not always true so not always creating it. God it took me 3 hours to find this :)not really, it's ok putting the variable inside like $_SESSION[ $name ] and becouse in my script this thing is inside a function called by many pages every new call needs a new name so the name is generated inside the function, and also is verified inside the function with the generated name:$id = $_POST['id'] ; -from the form$session = $name.$id ;if ( $_SESSION[$session]=1 )...than the visitor has been here before and did once whatever the function does

Edited October 10, 2006 by realthor (see edit history)

not really, it's ok putting the variable inside like $_SESSION[ $name ]

i learn something new everyday!

Glad to see you got it in the end